During a recent shopping venture, it occurred to me that my wardrobe lacks a peplum piece. This was surprising because of how flattering a peplum silhouette is for any & every shape. I’ve seen plenty of peplums on the red carpet, designed into gowns, styled with pencil skirts, paired with pants, & accented on cocktail frocks. This is seen on Glee actress Naya Rivera in a Monique Lhuillier sleeveless top with a printed pencil skirt. Also, Star Trek’s Zoe Saldana celebrated Prabal Gurung in a belted top & shorts look by the designer. Oscar nominee Amy Adams is feminine in a polka dot Jenny Packham design with Jimmy Choo stilettos.

Style muse Olivia Palermo matches a tweed Rebecca Taylor top with skinny jeans & silver pumps. Indian beauty Freida Pinto took in Burberry Prorsum‘s recent runway show in a jewel tone ensemble. Aussie actress Cate Blanchett attended the Dubai International Film Festival in a peplum top by Peter Pilotto with a pencil skirt & studded evening sandals.

When you’re planning to invest in a trendy piece, it’s always important to consider how often you’ll wear it to get the most for your money. This is especially true in the case of the Trina Turk peplum top ($228.00) from Nordstrom, which is also available in pink & white to lighten up your tougher looks as we transition from winter to spring. For a more relaxed look, you can head over to ShopBop for the Only Hearts ladder back peplum camisole ($110.00) to wear with skinny jeans, liquid leggings, or a satin mini skirt. Banana Republic‘s ponte knit peplum top ($49.50) offers a chic alternative to stuffy work looks with suit separates or printed trousers.

At a lower price point, the Romeo & Juliet Couture high-low peplum blouse ($34.30) from Last Call by Neiman Marcus has been recently marked down from its original $130.00 price tag. For my curvier Style Darlings, the Mossimo sleeveless peplum top ($22.99) is available @Target in sizes XS – XXL. Also, it’s sold in white stripes & orange stripes so that you can play with prints & mix it with a pair of floral cropped pants or a polka dot skirt. Lastly, the most affordable is the zip back peplum tank ($17.94) from Express, however sizes are limited & will probably run out due to the store’s current 40% off sale.

Clearly, peplums are pretty easy to find so many varieties, especially sleeveless ones that are perfect for layering over long-sleeved shirts in the cooler months, over a sheath dress to add more structure, & with any & every bottom in your current wardrobe. Do you follow the peplum trend? How do you like to wear it? For more from Splurge or Save?, check out previous posts including blue leather moto jackets, Kim Kardashian’s silver pointy toe Jimmy Choo pumps, pink jeans from Michael Kors & J Brand, Diane Kruger’s floral Stella McCartney pants, & polka dot pants from White House Black Market & Ralph Lauren. Happy Styling!